Recipe of the month for October

With Halloween just around the corner you will start to see an array of different shapes and sizes of pumpkin filling up the shelves of the supermarket. Sadly, pumpkins are mainly used for decoration and the delicious flesh is discarded without being utilised.

You can try simply boiling the flesh in some vegetable stock, adding a dash of cream, salt and then blending it to make a delicious winter warming soup. Or you could try roasting it in the oven with some beetroot and then mix with some goat’s cheese to top off a salad. Alternatively, you can have a go at our recipe for October, which is not so popular in the UK but is huge in America: the pumpkin pie.

Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients

1 roll of sweet short crust pastry

450g of pumpkin flesh, cut into inch cubes

2 large eggs

1 egg yolk

75g soft dark brown sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ level teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

½ tsp ground allspice

½ tsp ground cloves

½ tsp ground ginger

275ml double cream

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 200C.

If using a shop bought sweet crust pastry case, use one that is 23cm diameter and 4cm deep. Bake the pastry case blind for 20 minutes.

To make the filling, place the pumpkin on a baking tray and roast for about 20-30 minutes or until soft. Allow it to cool slightly and then blend into a puree (if you haven’t got a blender, you can always use a potato masher and a bit of elbow grease!)

In a clean bowl, whisk the eggs and yolk until totally combined.

Place all of the spices and the cream in a pan and gently bring to a simmer. Pour the cream mixture onto the eggs stirring continuously with a spoon (do not use a whisk as you will incorporate too much air into the mix!) Once this is done, you can add the pumpkin puree.

Bring the temperature of the oven down to 180 and then pour your pie mixture into the pie case. Cook for about 30-40 minutes until the centre is firm, but with a slight wobble.

Remove your pie from the oven and place the tin on a wire cooling rack.